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Celtic Woman's Facebook and Official Page has just announced the newest addition: Mairéad Carlin! :D

(http://www.celticwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/new-banner41.jpg)
"Born in Derry, in the north of Ireland, Mairead Carlin’s life has been immersed in music since her early days, coming from a family whose love of song was passed down to her generation.

“Derry, my hometown, is a very cultured and very musical place, wherever you turn there’s always music,” she enthuses. “That was especially true in my family… We’d just sit around the fire, sing and drink tea – there was no alcohol involved, despite what people always think about the Irish!”

After finishing her studies at Trinity College of Music in London, Mairead was signed to Decca Records and has recorded her debut album, ‘Songbook’, due for release in 2014.

Mairead has performed for the President of Ireland, celebrated the Irish Anthem for the England-Ireland Rugby International to a TV audience of millions and shared the stage with the likes of Snow Patrol and The Priests at the 2013 BBC TV Gala Concert ‘Sons and Daughters’ to mark Derry’s year as City of Culture- of which she also recorded the City of Culture anthem ‘Let The River Run’.

She has toured the UK and Ireland with legendary American singer-songwriter Don McLean, including a sellout concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Also this year, Mairead made her debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall for RTE TV.

“A motto I’ve used throughout my career so far”, she says, “is a quote from the award-winning poet Seamus Heaney: ‘Sing yourself to where the singing comes from.’ I think there’s a lot to be said for that”.

We are delighted to be welcoming Mairead to Celtic Woman."

http://www.celticwoman.com/mairead-carlin/

So now, we have Mairead squared! ;D  Welcome, Mairead!  I can't wait to hear you sing! :)

EDIT: Here are some youtube videos of her singing.  I think she'll fit in just fine. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlXWPR7oPUE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wuZZXs_KlQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUQt_paLNe8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA5WdKuWJJQ

Yay!!! We had Lisa squared now we have Mairead squared. This is going to be fun!

Ha, if Mairead Maguire was still in the choir we would have Mairead tripled.

Hey all, here's her Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mairead/248123961933086) page.  Be sure to 'like' her! :)

Oh she's good, and she has a cd coming out next year.

I've watched all the videos posted above and I give her a thumbs up.  I believe David has done his usual great job of adding to the legacy of Celtic Woman.  I will miss Chloe deeply, but this helps to soften the blow.  I doubt that any singer in the world can move back and forth between contemporary, traditional and classical songs as well as Chloe but this girl will bring her own unique talents to the group.

lol! I was just going to say that!

aww! Welcome Mairead!  She will fit in just fine!  I will miss chloe but, I think she'll be great!  And very pretty to! She looks like sarah gannon in the choir a little bit! can't wait to see her live!

Welcome to Celtic Woman Mairead! ;D
This is going to be awesome! :D
I'm freaking excited about this. :)

I already sent her a Tweet, I encourage you to do the same. ;)

If you'd like to hear her singing some CW fare, you can listen to (and buy) her singing part of The Prayer as a duet with Thomas Spencer-Wortley on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/prayer-feat.-mairead-carlin/id326607827?i=326608020&uo=4 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/prayer-feat.-mairead-carlin/id326607827?i=326608020&uo=4)

ETA: On the official announcement they spelled her name with only one accent but they spelled Máiréad N's with two so I'm assuming that is the correct spelling.

aislin

Welcome Mairead!!!

Welcome Mairéad! I'm excited to see what she will bring to CW.

Welcome, Mairéad!!! She sounds and looks stunning!

So, does that mean, we have Máiréad and Mairéad? Or did they misspell her name?
The first option would be cool! Like Laoise and Lisa instead of Lisa K and Lisa L, you know. Same name, different spelling :D

She has got such a lovely voice. I could be a wee bit biased, but I am SO excited to have a northerner in the group. She's also an accordion player (look through her Twitter photos), so I'm hoping her solos are going to be more traditional.

wow!  Thank you for posting those videos!  She sounds and looks incredible! She is very pretty! I was close though w rebecca harkin though! They are both from the derry northern Ireland area and have reddish brown hair! Which also explains the first video where she is singing w damian mcginty (formaerly) of celtic thunder! And I hear alittle bit of Lynn Hilary's softness in her voice which is nice!

Okay guys... I'm in love :-[ ;D

She's really talented and she's pretty !!!

WELCOME IN THE FAMILY MAIREAD !

I agree. :)  She reminds me of Lynn, Lisa Lambe, and a bit of Cara Dillon all rolled into one. ;D  I'm really excited to see what she'll bring to Celtic Woman!  I think she'll be fantastic!

*****pictures Kirstie doing  cartwheels....Nothern Ireland, huh??***** :D

She does!  I was trying to place who she "reminded" me of... she does sound a little like Lil' Lambe. <3

She does have a fabulous voice!!  And she's gorgeous!  She will fit in perfectly with our girls.  I'm excited to see her :)

I hear a voice that reminds me of the lovely Alex.  ;)

I already LOVE her, absolutely  :D

Her voice sounds like a mix between Alex and Lynn -to my ears- which is perfection :P

I just found this on one of the FB statuses welcoming her..
http://www.maireadsongbook.com/

What a great news after a long day! And such a beautiful voice!! Very relaxing, and in that 'Silver Cities' video she got a fine bit of power too. And she will be releasing a solo-album next year, so we already got that for sure  ;D

(Apparently she has been twice last year to the Netherlands.. I'll keep an eye on that if she plans to tour solo between the CW-tours, although that might be unlikely  :P)

Very excited!! Looking forward to see her in Amsterdam!

  You and Evi  :-*  will be some of the first forum members to see her in Amsterdam!  lucky you!

She is amazing!  I love her already!  She'll fit in perfectly!  And I think she is JUST AS GOOD as Chloe, but in her OWN way!  I can't wait to hear her with CW and see her live next year!

Yay! So excited! ;D
Another Mairead? Lol :D
Welcome to Celtic Woman, Mairéad! ;D

I know.. I've fallen in love with her already too :)

Obviously, she's not Chloe... and no one will ever be able to replace her (just like no one can ever replace Lisa Kelly, or any of the other girls who have left) but she will bring her own magic to the group. :)

I just realize I will also see her in Amsterdam, I'm really excited too !!

SOOOOOOOO TOTALLY JEALOUS!    I want to see them in Amsterdam and meet my European friends!

I hope someone will get a video of her with CW!  XD

Me neither!!
She's going to fit in sooo well though!  I can already tell :)

She is nice Welcome Mairead ^^

Wow preciosa voz,welcome Mairead.

So, Mairead 2.0 or Mairead²  :D

Wow!  David's done it again!  Welcome to Celtic Woman, Mairead!  Your music videos are simply beautiful and you've already gained a special place in my CW heart!  Hope to see you on the Symphony Tour in December and looking forward to your CD in 2014.

Jack

I wanna be able to pledge for Spring tickets NOW. So excited to see Mairead live, and meet the girls again

We're going to see her rendition of Ave Maria and Nocturne.

OMG that'll probably tug hard at my heartstrings!  Her voice will sound so beautiful with those songs!

  to  me  she  sounds  like   50%  Alex  -   30%  Lynn   -  and   20%   Lil'  Lambe...... I  think  this  sweetie  pie  will  be  a great  fit.    :)

:O :O  That will be amazing!!!!!!!!

I hear quite a bit of Lil' Lambe in her... for some reason.

And she is adorable!  <3

The ONE day I get to the forum late. I miss everything.  :P

She has a youthful presence that I think Chloe fans will appreciate, although of course Chloe can't be replaced and Mairéad will bring something totally unique and different to the group. In the past when they announced new members, it sometimes took a little time to imagine how they would fit in with the group, but it seems unanimous among everyone who has posted (and I agree) that this is an outstanding choice.

Mairead 2.0

We all survived Lisa² so I'm sure we won't have any problem with Mairead².

I have to say, I can't get enough of her version of Scarlett Ribbons. Its so beautiful and touches your heart.

And this is coming from a die-hard Chlover here. Welcome to the family Mairead!

Welcome Mairead!!

The ONE day I wasn't home at all!

Welcome, Mairead. :)

And, we already have a town named for you -- Carlin, Nevada. ;)

Haha!  Maybe Celtic Woman should add that to their tour schedule.  :)  That would be cool!

Welcome Mairead! I love that name!

First two Lisa's and now two Mairead's

You can never have too many Lisas and Maireads, I always say.   :D

After learning of her arrival, I went to YouTube, and loved what I heard (great version of Scarlet Ribbons here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA5WdKuWJJQ) and what I saw (she looks a bit like Jenna Louise Coleman, don't you think ?). I also realized I already have one song by her : Fields of Athenry, in the World in Union album. Two songs she absolutely has to sing in the next CW DVD.

Yes, she'll be a perfect successor to Chloe.

That's it? Those are the only videos you could find? I hope that there will be more soon. Her voice has a certain sweetness to it that I like. She'll fit in fine. Hopefully, they'll add some of these songs to a new tour.

Well Dear Mairead, WELCOME!

Hopefully I'll be seeing you in December with the rest of the gang.
Looking forward to it.

Lester

You know who her voice kinda reminds me of?
Sarah Burke...

Mairead tweeted this today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN6biLPVBrk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The video gives some history of the song Danny Boy, and you get to hear her sing parts of it with the RTE orchestra. ;D

Thanks for the link.  I love Mairead in this.  David sure knows how to pick them.  When she speaks she has a beautiful smile and her eyes really sparkle.  It reminds me of Alex in an interview she did a few years ago.

Too true ;D

From when the girls were in Sydney on their 2013 Promo Tour

Me: Do you only spell your name with one accent?
Mairéad: I was actually born with two  ;D, but I changed it because it's easier.

Why  did  I  just  know  our  Sweet  Sarah  would  say  that ?    ;)